Zambia is an African gem, filled with fantastic wildlife and beautiful scenery. The Zambezi River itself supports an immense amount of bird and wildlife, and we travel down this river on a canoe safari while camping out on deserted islands under the stars. We spend 3 nights at a game reserve, with ample opportunity for game viewing. Whilst here we also have the chance to do some volunteer work. This trip is perfect for the active family who want to experience the Zambian wilderness and also leave knowing they have given something back to the people and the area!

After the arrival of the group flight, we transfer from Lusaka Airport to Zambezi Breezers where we camp the first night. After dinner we will meet our guide for the canoeing portion of the trip, and we will receive a briefing about the next two days.See more images and videos

3Day 3The first of two days spent canoeing on the Zambezi River, and camping on islands.

After a breakfast the guide gives a safety briefing before we take to the river in our canoes. We will have a fairly early start as it is often better to canoe in the early hours when it is not so hot, and more importantly, when the easterly head wind is at its weakest. Thereafter meals are either taken on islands or on the banks of the river where ever we find shade with our evening meals at our island over night stops. We have several islands to choose from depending on the progress of the group but generally we camp on Chiawa Island on the first night and Mtondo Island the second night before paddling into our fixed fly camp the following day after breakfast.

After breakfast we canoe through to our take out point near the Chongwe River. We have lunch before loading our canoes and driving to our bush camp situated on the Munumeshi River while doing a slow afternoon game drive back. This is an area rich in wildlife and is renowned for the numerous elephant sightings. It is also home to warthog, waterbuck, impala, baboon and the rare Samango monkey along with many bird species including the Lilac Breasted roller. On our night game we drive through the reserve hoping to spot species such as genet, civet, hyena, porcupine, night Apes, aardvark and if really lucky, the elusive leopard.See more images and videos

6Day 6The first of two days doing volunteer work in a Game Management Area, including animal protection walks, a local school visit and assisting with the vegetable garden. There will also be time for a game drive each day.

After breakfast we will have both a safety briefing and a talk about the various volunteer experiences we can participate in over the next two days, such as participating in animal protection walks, or visiting the children in disadvantaged communities and assisting them wherever possible at a local orphanage school. We will be taken on a short early morning nature/bush walks and again in the afternoon while during the day we have the chance to participate in volunteer work.
On all walks with our bush guides and scout we will be looking out for any signs of snaring and will assist with the destruction of any traps we may find which have been set and left out by poachers to trap wild animals. By helping to remove these snares, the group is helping to protect the wild animals in the area which are an asset to the local people because of the tourism their presence encourages.
There is also the chance to visit a local school and spend time both interacting with and maybe even teaching the children there, and in assisting with the vegetable garden. You might want to bring some school supplies or games to donate to the children at the school, and some vegetable seeds for the garden, as these are often decimated by elephants leaving nothing to plant!
It would also be valuable for the kids if some of the volunteers were to help with some very basic English or Maths education. Please remember that English is not the kids’ first language and the standard of education is well below that of western schools. You may wish to prepare some very basic educational games or resources beforehand but it is easy enough to make things up as you go along whilst adapting to the kids’ level. Likewise with games and sports - you must assume there is no equipment but any basic outdoor games and sports will be very popular.See more images and videos

7Day 7The second of two days doing volunteer work in a Game Management Area.

Your images

Family group

Family group holidays that you and your family can enjoy together. These trips are active, adventurous and provide the perfect blend of exploration and sociability.

Activity level

You are reasonably fit, enjoy the outdoors and are looking for some exercise. Some previous experience is preferable for activity based trips.

What's included

What's included

All meals

All accommodation (see below)

All transport and listed activities

Tour leader throughout

Flights from London (if booking incl. flights)

What's not included

Travel insurance

Single accommodation (available on request)

Visas or vaccinations

Accommodation details

Camping

On this tour you will spend 2 nights camping in dome tents with shared ablution facilities, 2 nights camping on the islands of the Zambezi River, and 3 nights at seasonal semi-permanent tented campsites.

All these seasonal fly camps have communal ablution facilities and walk-in tents with camp beds, sheets, blankets and pillows
.
During wild camping, all supplies and camping equipment is carried in the canoes for the duration one is paddling on the river. A wide range of camping equipment is carried ensure a comfortable camping experience. Most of the camp chores during the canoeing section of the safari are done for you by your guides while you are expected to assist in the setting up/dismantling of your dome tents and sorting out your personnel bedding on island overnight camp sites. All camping equipment is provided.

Single accommodation is free of charge but there is limited availability.

We endeavour to provide twin or triple rooms for all family clients – for trip specific details please download the Trip Notes

Essential info

Vaccinations and Visa
British, European, N. American, Australian and New Zealand passport holders require a visa to enter Zambia. Single entry visas are available at all ports of entry. The visa fee for British nationals is currently USD50 for a single entry visa.
There are no mandatory vaccination requirements. Recommended vaccinations are: Polio, Tetanus, Typhoid, Hepatitis A. Malaria prophylaxis is essential and we suggest that you seek advice from your GP or travel health clinic about which malaria tablets to take. Holiday style

Zambia can get hot during the day but during the summer months (June to mid-August) it can get exceptionally cold during the night and you should be prepared to bundle up!

Please note that Zambia is a malaria area.

Children must share a tent with an adult and are not to be left alone at night in the game reserves and wilderness areas.

For most of the tour we will be staying in well-equipped campsites. However for 2 nights (during the canoe safari) we will camping in smaller secure dome tents backed up with a light mobile camp with the exception of having ablution facilities available. The wild camping will certainly add to the overall bush experience and should be an exciting experience for the whole family!

For the canoe safari, no previous experience is necessary but you should have a reasonable level of fitness. An ability to swim is highly recommended.

Some of the areas we visit are quite remote and will have basic facilities. Some of the walks in the national parks are uneven and may be slippery underfoot so you need to be comfortable with this.

Eating & drinking

All meals are included whilst camping.

Meals are prepared for you but group members are welcome to assist in preparations and washing up.

Trip notes

Download the detailed trip notes for everything you could possibly want to know about this trip, including
detailed itinerary and full kit list

Weather & seasonality

With its exceptionally mild winters, Zambia is best enjoyed during the dry season. This period extends from April to early August. The days are generally dry, hot and sunny with temperatures averaging 18 C, however, nights can be cool. From June to August it can be exceptionally cold. During the summer months, mid-August to January, the temperatures average 25 C, although much higher temperatures can be experienced. Rainfall is generally confined between the months of November and April. Rains normally occur as heavy showers, but they tend to clear rapidly with sunshine still predominant.

Gallery

Reviews & community

An amazing adventure which will live with us for years. We chose this holiday as a final holiday with my son and daughter before the latter goes to university. This was our first trip to Africa and not having done any camping since school this was well outside of my normal comfort zone. We wondered whether the photos in the gallery might have exaggerated the close proximity to the wildlife but they accurately reflected our experience. Within the first hour of canoeing we had seen elephants, crocodiles and hippos.

What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?

Difficult one to answer as there were so many...
Awe inspiring night skies from our wild camp site
Waking to experience the sunrise
Stunning sunsets
Those magical moments of first sightings of the varied wildlife...

What did you think of your group leader?

Exceptionally good, caring, knowledgeable, calm, efficient and a fantastic cook!!
Nothing was too much trouble and he was very keen to share his extensive knowledge. ...All rolled up with a slightly dry sense of humour!

Do you have any advice for potential travellers?

Fantastic holiday, but regardless of how good your guide is, it should be stressed that there is a very real threat of potential danger. We experienced some near misses; one irate hippo swimming inches under our canoe, another leaping into the river just behind a canoe and an elephant ripping a tent.
Travel light: three sets of safari trousers and shirts and then warm thermal leggings, tops and a fleece for night time wear. One pair of walking boots and one pair of trekking sandals and also cycling gloves for the canoeing should suffice.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

We are still experiencing the positive after effects... Not just a holiday, but a wonderful lifetime experience!! We were active and yet still had time to 'stand still and stare'!

The itinerary is full but it didn't feel too rushed, and there was the right amount and variety of activity for my 16 year old son not to get bored. We had a great time and everything we expected was delivered.

What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?

The wildlife both from the canoes and at the semi=permanent camp. We saw hippos (many!), elephants, lions, a leopard, monkeys warthogs, eagles, buffalo ....... It felt very authentic as we were usually the only ones on the river and always the only group staying at the wild and semi-permanent camp sites

You are right in real Africa, with the sounds of the wildlife all around you when camping.

What did you think of your group leader?

Cuthbert and the team were great. He was an excellent leader, who gave us just the right amount of information about the country and was extremely knowlegable about the wildlife.

The cook and camp team were also fantastic, getting up at 4am every day to prepare breakfast etc. The food was plentiful and freshly cooked. there were always snacks for the ever-hungry teenage boys. Hygine was also good, as nobody was ill.

Do you have any advice for potential travellers?

If you have adventurous teens then go - you'll have agreat time. The canoeing is not hard work as you are travelling downstream and there is a 4km/hr current, so all you have to do is steer most of the time. Th eboats are stable and easily controlled once you get used to them.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

The volunteering part could have been better organised. For example the trip itinerary mentions taking supplies for the school, which we did, but doesnt refer to a trip to a local villiage where there was a need for adult clothes. I'd have taken some if I'd known. On day 1 at the school they wanted some fencing put up for their goats but has no posts or tools, so we couldn't do it. We did, however, manage to buy some stuff for the second day. While recognising its Africa, they did know we were coming, so you'd think between the school and guide they might have made beetr use of out time. Having said that, it was still worthwhile and good for the UK teens to spend some time trying to teach the Zambian kids.

I'd avoid the group flights with Ethiopian Airlines and book your own, as there is a very long transit time on theway home and the airport at Addis is not agreat plave to wait.

The trip notes need to be clearer about the tips - there is guidance on tipping the leader, but the notes dont mention that tips for all the camp staff are expected. I have no problem with this, but it coused a little difficulty as we ran out of Zambian Currency (fortunately had some US dollars!).

This is an absolutely brilliant trip. You get to feel properly adventurous but, at the same time, very well taken care of. The volunteering aspect makes it much more than just a holiday. And there is the added advantage that it can be fitted into a half term break. We took our two daughters (aged 12 and 14) and they loved it and want to go back.

What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?

Loads! Our first view of the mighty Zambezi and realising that the sounds you can hear are hippo calls. Drifting silently in our canoes up to a group of elephants on a beach on the river bank and getting to within about 10 meters of them. Having a bath in a croc-free bit of the Zambezi by moonlight. Arriving at the school, meeting all the kids and spending time in the classroom and playing with them. And the moment when we arrived at the semi-permanent camp but couldn't get to the loo because there was an elephant eating the wall!

What did you think of your group leader?

Our leader was TK, assisted by Best. They were both absolutely brilliant from the first 'hello' to the last 'goodbye'. TK is incredibly knowledgeable, very experienced and knows just how to balance the adventurous aspects of the trip with a constant awareness of everyone's safety and well being. We had complete faith in him and Best, and they are fantastic company too.

Do you have any advice for potential travellers?

If you have concerns which are deterring you from booking, let me put your mind at rest on a few of them: Getting ill - all of us were absolutely fine the whole time. The canoe tipping over - the canoes are really stable, even when loaded up with all the stuff (everything comes with you) and as long as you don't do something daft, like try to stand up, it's hard to see how you could capsize. Creepy crawlies in the tent - not a problem. Dodgy camp food - TK and Best rustled up some great meals and it was good, straightforward and plentiful. Getting bitten by mosquitoes - we were there late October 2013 and mozzies weren't a problem as long as you were generous with the spray. You need very few clothes etc on this trip, so fill up your luggage allowance with stuff for the school.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

Just go! This is a wonderful introduction to Africa, its wildlife and the fab Zambian people. Yes it's basic facility-wise but there are loos and hot showers at the camp site for the second half of the week. Best of all, the kids went back to school with some serious bragging rights: "What did you do in the holidays?" "Oh, you know, canoed down the Zambezi, did some wild camping, dodged a few hippos and crocs, that kind of thing."

Questions about your trip

Pick your question

Can I get my Zambian visa locally?

Yes, if you are a British passport holder, it is quite easy to get upon arrival. The cost is $50USD for a single entry visa (or the equivalent in GBP). If you do not hold a British passport, please check with the nearest embassy, or Exodus and we may be able to help.

Aurelija Selvestraviciute - Customer Operations

What vaccinations do I need?

Unfortunately we are not qualified to answer all your questions in regards to travel health, so we strongly recommend you contact your GP or a Travel Health Clinic at least 8 weeks prior to departure for up-to-date information. There will be limited information in the trip notes but you should always seek further qualified medical advice.

Nomad Travel Clinics are experts in preparing people for travel, providing advice on vaccinations, anti-malarial and staying healthy whilst overseas. We have arranged a special 10% discount for Exodus passengers on any vaccinations that you may require! Take along your Nomad discount card, sent with your confirmation pack, or call Exodus for your special discount code.Visit www.nomadtravel.co.uk/exodus for further information.

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